The first venues for the mass COVID-19 vaccination programme in Lothian have been selected. NHS Lothian has identified and agreed three large-scale venues capable of providing thousands of vaccinations at a time.
The next phase, known as Wave 2, of the vaccination programme is under way across Scotland to vaccinate people aged 75 to 79 years of age, followed by those aged 70 -74 and 65 – 69, followed by adults with risk factors over the age of 60.
NHS Lothian has been working with councils, health and social care partnerships and other partners to ensure the sites are ready when the roll-out begins, which is expected in February.
The Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC), The Pyramids Business Park (PBP) in West Lothian have been agreed and details are being finalised for Queen Margaret University (QMU) in East Lothian.
A number of local supplementary centres are also being set up by the four Health and Social Care Partnerships – East Lothian, Edinburgh, Midlothian and West Lothian – to supplement the bigger venues.
Announcing the choice of centres on Christmas Eve,David Small, Director of Primary Care Transformation, NHS Lothian, who is leading the programme, said he was delighted that three large-scale venues had been agreed.
“This is the biggest mass vaccination programme undertaken. It is a massive task and even though all of the teams are working at speed, we know we need to make sure we get the delivery right, first time.
“There are a lot of challenges involved across the project, but we are meeting each one and we are delighted that these three venues are finalised. We still have a number of other options to consider and explore, but this is a milestone.
“It means we can begin work in the new year while we continue planning the smaller centres which will supplement the bigger venues.”
Plans are being developed to create a walk-through centre at the EICC which would be capable of vaccinating 26,000 people in a week at a total of around 50 stations.
A similar walk-through centre is expected to be set up in PBP, which could provide 12,000 vaccinations every week using around 25 stations.
A drive-through vaccination centre is then being planned for Queen Margaret University in East Lothian that would have around 16 stations and be able to vaccinate 8,000 people a week.
People will be contacted by the NHS when they are eligible for a vaccination appointment. They should not contact the venues directly because they would not hold any of the relevant information.
This new phase will be followed in the Spring by the roll-out of Wave 3, which will again target individual age groups, staring with those aged 60-64, 55- 59, 50-54, followed by the rest of the population.
From tomorrow, mainland Scotland will move from Level 4 to a temporary Lockdown, with new guidance to stay at home except for essential purposes.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon made the following statement to Parliament this afternoon:
I’m grateful to you, Presiding Office for this recall of Parliament today. And I want to wish you, members, and everyone watching, all the best for a new year that we hope – despite a very difficult start – will bring better times.
The Cabinet met this morning to assess the up to date Covid situation – which is extremely serious – and discuss what further action is necessary to minimise further spread of the virus. I will set out our decisions shortly.
However, I can confirm now, in summary, that we decided to introduce from midnight tonight for the duration of January, a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes. This is similar to the lockdown of March last year.
However, before I set out Cabinet’s decisions in more detail, I want to explain in some detail why they are so necessary.
In the last few weeks, there have been two significant game changers in our fight against this virus.
One, the approval of vaccines, is hugely positive and offers us the way out of this pandemic.
But the other – the new faster spreading variant of the virus – is a massive blow.
Possibly the most simple way of explaining the challenge we face right now is to compare it to a race.
In one lane we have vaccines – our job is to make sure they can run as fast as possible. That’s why the government will be doing everything we can to vaccinate people as quickly as possible. I will say more about that later.
But in the other lane is the virus which – as a result of this new variant – has just learned to run much faster and has most definitely picked up pace in the last couple of weeks.
To ensure that the vaccine wins the race, it is essential to speed up vaccination as far as possible. But to give it the time it needs to get ahead, we must also slow the virus down.
And because it is now spreading faster, that means even tougher restrictions are necessary.
The evidence is now compelling that the new variant is up to 70% more transmissible than previously circulating strains, and that it may add as much as 0.7 to the R number.
And according to recent analysis of PCR test samples, it appears that the new variant already accounts for almost half of all new cases in Scotland. That increased and faster spread is undoubtedly driving the very serious situation we now face.
Today’s case numbers – 1,905 new cases, with 15% of tests being positive – illustrate the severity and urgency of the situation.
No new deaths were reported today – because yesterday was a Sunday and registration offices were largely closed – but since I updated Parliament before Christmas, 289 deaths have been recorded in the daily figures. That again reminds us of the continuing grief this pandemic is causing.
But this is not just about one day’s numbers.
We are now seeing a steeply rising trend of infections.
Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that I am more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year.
In the week from 23 to 30 December, the seven day incidence of cases per 100,000 of the population increased by 65% – from 136 per 100,000 to 225 per 100,000.
Test positivity has risen sharply too.
The next update on the numbers of Covid patients in hospital and intensive care will be published tomorrow.
I would expect these to show that, nationally, the total number of Covid patients in hospital is close to its April peak. And in some boards, the pressure is already very real.
For example, in terms of hospital beds, NHS Ayrshire and Arran is currently at 96% of its Covid capacity, and three other health boards – Borders, Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Lanarkshire – are above 60% of their capacity.
The number of people in intensive care is still significantly lower than the April peak – which partly reflects the fact that treatment of Covid has improved significantly since last spring.
But even so, the total number of patients in intensive care in Scotland is already above normal winter levels. Indeed, all mainland health boards have now exceeded their normal intensive care unit capacity.
And it is important to be clear that people who are in hospital and ICU now are likely to have been infected 10 days to 2 weeks ago.
That means that these numbers reflect what the level of new cases was around 2 weeks ago.
Given that the number of cases has increased significantly since then, we can expect to see significantly increased pressure on the NHS over the course of this month.
Contingency plans remain in place to double and then treble ICU capacity if necessary.
And the NHS Louisa Jordan continues to be available to help meet demand – as indeed it has been doing in recent months. 12,000 patients have attended there for scans and outpatient appointments; nearly 5,000 NHS staff and students have been trained there; and it is currently being used for Covid vaccinations.
In short, NHS services are coping at present – although the pressure on frontline staff is considerable – but already in some areas the position is fragile, and getting more challenging.
And if the rate of increase in case numbers that we have seen in past two weeks was to continue unchecked, there would be a real risk of our NHS being overwhelmed – even with contingency plans in place.
In fact, our modelling suggests that without further intervention, we could breach inpatient Covid capacity within 3 or 4 weeks.
And, of course, a sharply increasing number of cases, in human terms, means many more people becoming ill and dying. All of that explains why we have to act quickly and decisively.
The situation in some other parts of the UK – where case numbers are already much higher than here, and where the contribution of the new variant is already greater – shows what may lie ahead if we don’t.
As things stand, we estimate that we are possibly about four weeks behind the position in London and the south east.
The rapid acceleration in London began when it was at about 160 new cases a week, for every hundred thousand people. That’s the level Scotland was at a week ago.
London is now seeing 900 new cases a week per 100,000. Test positivity is around 27%. And pressure on NHS services is acute.
We have an opportunity in Scotland to avert the situation here deteriorating to that extent.
But we must act quickly.
The advice of our clinical advisers is clear that the increased transmissibility of the new variant means that the current level 4 measures may not be sufficient to bring the R number back below 1.
It is essential that we further limit interaction between different households to stem the spread and bring the situation back under control, while we vaccinate more people.
In short, we must return for a period to a situation much closer to the lockdown of last March.
Let me therefore set out in more detail the decisions Cabinet has reached.
It is important to stress that these are not decisions taken lightly. I am acutely aware of the impact they will have and I know they will not be welcome.
But they are in our judgment essential.
As government, our clear and overriding duty right now is to act quickly to save lives and protect the NHS.
We know that delay or prevarication in the face of this virus almost always makes things worse not better – even if it stems from an understandable desire that we all share to wait for more data or evidence.
To turn to the decisions in detail. The decisions I will speak about a bit later on schools, let me be clear at this stage, they will apply to all parts of Scotland. However other decisions that I will outline will apply to those parts of Scotland currently at level 4, which of course is all of mainland Scotland, and they are effectively an enhancement to level 4.
The island areas currently in level 3 will remain there for now, although we will continue to monitor them very carefully.
These additional level 4 restrictions – essentially returning us to a position similar to the lockdown of last March – will be in place for the whole of January. We will keep them closely under review.
However, I cannot at this stage rule out keeping them in place longer, nor making further changes. Nothing about this is easy.
The first measure is that our fundamental advice, for everyone, is to stay at home.
That is the single best way of staying safe.
We consider that this stay at home message and advice is now so important that, from tomorrow, it will become law, just as it was in the lockdown last year.
This means it will only be permissible to leave home for an essential purpose.
This will include, for example, caring responsibilities, essential shopping, exercise and being part of an extended household.
In addition, anyone who is able to work from home, must do so. It will only be a reasonable excuse to leave your home to go to work, if that work cannot be done from home.
We are asking people and businesses to take this really seriously – as we all did in March, during the first lockdown, – because the situation is at least as serious now as it was then.
The law already requires many businesses in certain sectors to close in Level 4. We now need every business to look again at their operations, and to make sure that every single function that can be done by people working at home, is being done in that way.
Businesses have already shown a tremendous capacity to adapt during this pandemic and I’m very grateful to them for that – and we need them to consider their operations again, as we all work together to reduce transmissions.
The Economy Secretary will be speaking to business organisations about this, including this afternoon. We will also engage with unions on these issues. And we will continue to consider if more regulatory action is required.
We are also providing new guidance for people who are in the shielding category.
If you were shielding and you cannot work from home, our clear advice now is that you should not go into work at all.
The Chief Medical Officer is writing to everyone who falls into this category, and his letter will count as a Fit Note for those who need it.
Unlike the lockdown last year, the frequency of outdoor exercise is not being limited.
It is important for physical and mental health that we can get outdoors for fresh air and exercise as much as possible.
However, from tomorrow, the rule on outdoor gatherings will change.
As of now, up to six people from two households are able to meet outdoors. Given the greater transmissibility of this new variant, we consider it necessary to restrict that further.
From tomorrow, a maximum of two people from up to two households will be able to meet outdoors.
Children aged 11 and under will not be counted in that limit, and they will also be able to play outdoors in larger groups, including in organized gatherings.
However, for everyone else – including 12 to 17 year olds – outdoor exercise should only take place in a way which is consistent with the 2 people from 2 households rule.
In addition, strict travel restrictions remain in place across Scotland. From tomorrow, if you live in a level 4 area – as the majority of us do – you cannot leave your home except for an essential purpose. When you do go out, stay as close to home as possible and stay away from crowded places.
And it remains the case – and let me stress this point – that no-one is allowed to travel into or out of Scotland unless it is for an essential purpose.
Presiding Officer, a number of other measures will come into effect on Friday of this week.
It is with real regret that we consider it necessary for places of worship to close during this period for all purposes except broadcasting a service, or conducting a funeral, wedding or civil partnership.
I am well aware of how important communal worship is to people.
But we believe that this restriction is necessary to reduce the risk of transmission.
While up to 20 people will still be able to attend funeral services, wakes will not be possible during January. And a maximum of 5 people will be able to attend wedding and civil partnership services.
Presiding Officer, I know how devastating restrictions like these are and I give an assurance that we will not keep them in place for longer than is absolutely necessary.
There will also be additional measures in relation to businesses, in addition to the tightening of the essential retail definition that took effect from Boxing Day.
The current 1 metre exemption for workplace canteens will end – so canteens will have to ensure that employees sit 2 metres or more apart, rather than 1 metre.
The number of non-essential services which remain open will be further restricted.
Premises which will need to close as a result of these changes will include, for example ski centres, showrooms of larger retailers, and clinics offering cosmetic and aesthetic procedures.
I know that many businesses have already been hit by the restrictions which were put in place on Boxing Day.
And of course I know that the vast majority of businesses have taken their responsibilities seriously, and have invested in Covid safety measures.
In addition, the move to home working has brought challenges for workers and employers. I am hugely grateful for the way in which businesses and their staff have responded to those challenges.
Grants are of course available for businesses required to close as a result of restrictions. That support is in addition to support through the UK wide furlough scheme.
The Scottish Government’s financial support for businesses during the pandemic currently totals more than £2.3 billion.
However, we will continue to assess what more the Scottish government can do – either in closure grants or other forms of support – to help businesses and those who work for them.
We will also work with councils to ensure community and social support for those who need it, including for parents balancing work and online learning. We will confirm additional resources later this week.
Presiding Officer, The final substantive issue I want to address – before giving an update on vaccination – relates to schools.
We announced before Christmas that most school pupils would learn remotely – rather than in school – until Monday 18 January.
I can confirm that we have now decided to extend that date and keep schools closed to the majority of pupils until 1 February. We will review this again in mid-January.The change will apply to all pupils – except vulnerable children, and children of key workers. And it includes nursery schools, as well as primary and secondary schools.
There is no doubt that of all the difficult decisions we have had to take today, this was the most difficult of all and its impact is of course the most severe.
The evidence to date makes clear that thanks to the hard work of school staff and pupils, schools in Scotland have been low-risk environments for Covid. We will work with our partners to ensure that remains the case.
That will include ongoing work on testing in schools and discussions about when, in the context of the overall programme, it will be possible to vaccinate school staff.
And I want to be clear that it remains our priority to get school buildings open again for all pupils as quickly as possible and then keep them open.
However, right now, two factors mean that it is not consistent with a safety-first approach for all children to attend school in person.
First, the overall level of community transmission is simply too high. We need to get transmission down before schools can safely reopen. A period of online learning will also, in turn, help us do that.
The second reason is that there is still significant uncertainty about the impact of the new variant on transmission amongst young people.
We therefore have to adopt a cautious approach at this stage.
So most pupils will be learning online for at least the rest of the month.
We will review on 18 January whether they can – as we hope – return to school on the 1 February.
I know that remote learning presents significant challenges for teachers, schools, parents and young people, and we will work to support children and parents throughout this.
The Scottish Government, Education Scotland and local authorities are working together to further improve the remote learning options which are available for schools.
And it is also worth highlighting that since schools returned after the summer, more than 50,000 devices – such as laptops – have been distributed to children and young people to help with remote learning. More devices are being distributed by councils on a weekly basis, and in total we expect our investment –which builds on existing local authority action – to benefit around 70,000 disadvantaged children and young people across Scotland.
I also want to stress one final point.
Just as the last places we ever want to close are schools and nurseries – so it is the case that schools and nurseries will be the first places we want to reopen as we re-emerge from this latest lockdown.
They remain our priority.
That is why we are considering whether and to what extent – consistent with our overall duty to vaccinate the most vulnerable first in line with JCVI recommendations – we can achieve vaccination of school and childcare staff as a priority. Many teachers will of course be vaccinated over coming weeks as part of the JCVI priority list.
The fortnightly review will not simply be a choice between opening and closing schools – we will always seek to maximise the number of pupils we can safely get back to classrooms and nurseries.
So if the evidence tells us we can get some pupils back safely, we will do that.
However ultimately, the best way of enabling more pupils to return more quickly is by reducing community transmission of the virus as much as possible. And all of us – by accepting and abiding by the wider restrictions I have set out today – have a part to play in achieving that.
Before I leave the issue of education, let me remind the chamber that we already had plans in place for the staggered return of universities and colleges. We will be considering this week whether any further change is necessary.
Presiding Officer, Before I close today, I want to give a brief update on our current expectations around vaccine supply.
The Health Secretary will give a more detailed update on vaccination in a statement the chamber next week.
However, I can confirm today that well over 100,000 people have now received their first dose of the vaccine.
The first doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine are being administered today.
In total, over the period to the end of January – including the more than 100,000 already administered – we expect to have access to just over 900,000 doses of vaccine. Obviously, we hope that increases.
These will be split roughly equally between the Pfizer and Astra Zeneca vaccines.
However, we anticipate that some of the Astra Zeneca portion will be available only in the last week of January.
We do not yet have certainty on supply schedules beyond January but will keep Parliament updated as these become firmer.
However, our current expectation, based on assumptions about supply and the new advice on doses being administered up to 12 weeks apart, rather than 3, is that by early May everyone over 50, and people under 50 with specific underlying conditions, will have received at least the first dose of vaccine.
That is everyone who is on the JCVI priority list, and comprises more than 2.5 million people.
Once everyone on the priority list has been vaccinated, we will start vaccinating the rest of the population, and will do this in parallel with completing second doses for those on the priority list.
Those timetables are of course heavily dependent on vaccine supply. And for that reason, they are at this stage cautious.
However, I have tasked our vaccination team with exploring and keeping under ongoing review all options to speed up the rate of vaccination and bring these timescales forward as far as possible.
I am grateful for the many offers of assistance we have received and while many of them may not prove possible or practical to take up, they will be considered
The Health Secretary will say more about all of this in her statement next week.
Presiding Officer, To conclude, this is most certainly not the new year statement I wanted to give. And I know it is a statement no one wanted to hear.
But as I said at the beginning, we are now in a race between the vaccine and the virus.
The Scottish government will do everything we can to speed up distribution of the vaccine.
But all of us must do everything we can to slow down the spread of the virus.
We can already see – by looking at infection rates elsewhere – some of what could happen here in Scotland if we don’t act.
To prevent that, we need to act immediately and firmly.
For government, that means introducing tough measures – as we have done so today.
And for all of us, it means sticking to the rules
It means continuing to follow the FACTS guidance
And it means – above all – staying at home.
That is again our central message.
Stay Home. Save lives. Protect the NHS.
If we do this, we give the vaccine the time it needs to get ahead and ultimately win the race.
I know that the next few weeks will be incredibly difficult.
I’m sorry to ask for further sacrifices, after nine long months of them. But these sacrifices are necessary.
And the difference between now and last March is that with the help of vaccines, we now have confidence that these sacrifices will pave the way to brighter days ahead. So – for everyone’s sake and safety – please stick with it and stay at home.
The first people will receive the Oxford University/AstraZeneca Covid vaccine today as the NHS expands COVID-19 vaccination programmes across the UK.
The NHS is the first health service in the world to deploy the life-saving jab, which has been authorised by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) after meeting strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness. It is the only approved vaccine which can be stored at fridge temperatures.
The Government has secured access to 100 million doses of the vaccine on behalf of the whole of the UK, crown dependencies and Overseas Territories.
More than half a million doses are available today, with tens of millions more to be delivered in the coming weeks and months once batches have been quality checked by the MHRA. More than 730 vaccination sites have already been established across the UK and hundreds more are opening this week to take the total to over 1,000, helping those who are most at risk from Covid-19 to access vaccines for free, regardless of where they live.
UKHealth Secretary Matt Hancock said: “I am delighted that today we are rolling out the Oxford vaccine – a testament to British science. This is a pivotal moment in our fight against this awful virus and I hope it provides renewed hope to everybody that the end of this pandemic is in sight.
“Through its vaccine delivery plan the NHS is doing everything it can to vaccinate those most at risk as quickly as possible and we will rapidly accelerate our vaccination programme.
“While the most vulnerable are immunised, I urge everybody to continue following the restrictions so we can keep cases down and protect our loved ones.”
The first Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccinations will be delivered at hospitals for the first few days, as is standard practice, before the bulk of supplies are sent to hundreds of GP-led services and care homes later in the week.
More than a million people in the UK have already been vaccinated with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and its roll out will continue at pace.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine can be stored at fridge temperatures, between two to eight degrees, making it easier to distribute to care homes and other locations across the UK. The vaccines will be deployed through:
hospital hubs for NHS and care staff and older patients to get vaccinated
local community services with local teams and GPs already signing up to take part in the programme
vaccination centres across the country, ensuring people can access a vaccine regardless of where they live
An army of current and former NHS staff have applied to become vaccinators, with tens of thousands having already completed their online training. These are being processed as quickly as possible and volunteer vaccinators will be deployed as more vaccine supplies become available. GPs and local vaccination services have been asked to ensure every care home resident in their local area is vaccinated by the end of January.
The MHRA, Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and the four UK Chief Medical Officers agreed to delay the gap between the first and second dose of vaccines to protect the greatest number of people in the shortest amount of time.
In line with the recommendations of the JCVI, the vaccine will be rolled out to the priority groups including care home residents and staff, people over 80 and health and care workers, then to the rest of the population in order of age and risk, including those who are clinically extremely vulnerable.
82 year old dialysis patient Brian Pinker received the first vaccination at Oxford’s Churchill Hospital at 7:30 this morning. The foundation hospital is barely a mile from the research labs where the breakthrough vaccine was discovered and developed last year.
There are more than 730 vaccination sites across the UK – and all will be rolling out the new vaccine over the coming days.
Patients in Tayside have been among the first in Scotland to receive the Oxford/Astrazeneca coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.
The vaccine was approved for use in the UK by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) on 30 December and is being made available to distribution centres through the country.
NHS Tayside is rolling out the vaccines through GP practices in the community, while continuing to vaccinate elderly residents and staff in care homes.
The Astrazeneca vaccine was procured on behalf of the four nations by the UK Government, who have ordered 100 million doses, of which Scotland will get 8.2% based on its population.
As with the Pfizer vaccine, this second vaccine provides an important additional layer of protection to all adults but particularly those most at risk from serious illness and death from COVID-19. With age as the greatest risk factor, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have retained the same phase 1 priority list for both vaccines.
The priority now is to vaccinate as many people with their first dose as quickly as possible, working through that priority list and the advice that the second dose for both vaccines can be given up to 12 weeks after the first means we can maximise this protection quicker than planned. The second dose remains critical for longer term protection and to complete the course.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “Seeing the Astrazeneca vaccine being administered to people in the community aged over 80 is a good way to start the New Year and I’m grateful to everyone in NHS Tayside and boards across the country for their work in preparing for the delivery of this newest vaccine.
“Oxford AstraZeneca has the advantage of being much easier to store and transport, which means it is easier to administer in local settings. We are also expecting to receive it in significantly larger quantities than the Pfizer vaccine.
“When it is your turn to be vaccinated you will be contacted by your local health board and I urge you to please take up the offer.
“While vaccination is one of the most important tools we have as we work our way out of this pandemic, we must all continue our work to suppress the virus in Scotland. This means rigorously complying with the restrictions where we live and making sure we continue to wear face coverings, maintain 2m distance from others outside our own household and wash our hands regularly.
“These three strands – following all we need to do to suppress the virus, using our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and rolling out vaccination as fast as supplies allow – are the three critical actions that will see us move, step by step, to a brighter year ahead.”
Associate Director of Public Health Dr Daniel Chandler, Immunisations Co-ordinator, who is overseeing the roll out of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Tayside said:“The efforts of our vaccination teams have been amazing and it is testament to a real whole team approach that sees the first over-80s in the general population have their jabs today in Tayside.
“The availability and mobility of the Oxford Astrazeneca vaccine gives us the opportunity to start to roll out the biggest vaccine programme that the UK has ever seen across our communities. Over-80s are the first priority group and patients will be contacted directly to attend a vaccination session.
“Today’s commencement of the community roll-out marks an important next phase in our response to COVID-19. It will act to suppress the virus in our communities to protect those who are most vulnerable, but the plea from all of us in the NHS is keep sticking with all the guidance.”
James Shaw (82), who was one of the first to be vaccinated alongside his wife Malita, also 82, said: “My wife and I are delighted to be receiving this vaccination. I have asthma and bronchitis and I have been desperate to have it so I am really pleased to be one of the first to be getting it.
“I know it takes a little while for the vaccine to work but after today I know that I will feel a bit less worried about going out. I will still be very careful and avoid busy places but knowing I have been vaccinated will really help me.
“All of my friends have said they are going to have the vaccine when it is their turn and I would encourage everyone who is offered this vaccination to take it.”
Pest controllers are issuing a stark warning to householders to be more careful with Christmas leftovers, after a surge in rat problems caused by a “perfect storm” of carelessly discarded Christmas food waste, cold weather and the skyrocketing population of rats this year.
“The problems are huge – the rat population going into Winter was 25% higher than last year, and we are entering a cold period – rats are moving around trying to find food and shelter – many are attacking domestic bins, and anyone being careless about their Christmas rubbish will pay the price”, explains Jenny Rathbone from Pest.co.uk
Most homes produce large quantities of food waste over Christmas and with less frequent waste collections – bins are overflowing. The advice is to avoid placing any food waste outside of a secure bin. The warning is even extended to cardboard and wrapping paper, which make perfect bedding materials for rats seeking shelter.
2020 has been a bumper year for rats – with the UK population up 25% caused by lockdowns, vacant commercial property, and poor waste management. However, many rats are now being forced to move towards residential areas are commercial food sources are drying up.
The other worrying news is that 74% of rats now carry a “hybrid-resistance” to common pest control poisons – which could mean next year rat infestations are harder (or more expensive) to control.
The recent 2019-20 Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use survey of rats showed that three-quarters of rats in the UK carried a resistance gene to popular rodenticides, and even more worrying in some locations in the UK, 20% have two different genes, making them super resistant.
“More and more people are seeing rats in the open – this is a sign that numbers are very high. We are heading for a cold snap, and rats are busy raiding food sources and bedding down – calls for infestations are already increasing”, says Rathbone.
Pest.co.uk is issuing the following advice to anyone worried about rats over the Christmas and New Year break:
Do not leave any food waste unprotected – Any excess rubbish containing food of any sort should be kept secure, do not leave any bags anywhere outside of a bin, especially Christmas dinner leftovers
Consider placing a brick or heavy object on top of your wheelie bin
Keep all areas of your home clean and tidy
Block up any gaps or holes in brickwork
Remove cardboard and wrapping paper – these are idea bedding materials for rodents
“The advice is really simple – do not leave any Christmas waste in the open or outside a secured bin.
“Do not, under any circumstances, leave any Christmas food waste inside your home – as the rat threat level is currently extremely high”, warns Jenny Rathbone from Pest.co.uk
A public health consultant from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has warned New Year revellers to stay in and stay safe this weekend, amid great concern over recent very large increases in cases linked to the new variant of coronavirus.
Normally at this time of year, thousands of party-goers would be heading out on to the town and to house parties to celebrate New Year and the final weekend of the festive season, but in an attempt to prevent an explosion of cases, people are being asked not to even think about this.
Dr Daniel Carter, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at NHSGGC, said staying in this weekend was of critical importance, now more than ever. “There are very large increases in cases across GGC and particularly in areas such as Inverclyde which previously had relatively low levels,” he said.
“This is due to people still mixing together and the new variant of the virus that spreads more easily. We urge everyone not to mix with anyone other than their own household at this time of such sharp increases in cases.”
He went on to remind people that we will soon be able to be vaccinated and so this harsh warning is also at time when we can say it won’t be for much longer.
“Whilst these constraints are hard on everyone, they are there for a good reason – to protect you, your friends and your family.”
Earlier this week, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon warned that the new variant – thought to spread much faster than the virus which first appeared in Scotland in the Spring – was quickly becoming the dominant COVID strain, and said Scottish Government advice to stay home, save lives and protect the NHS was more important than ever.
Dr Carter added: ““We are all painfully aware of the huge human cost that the virus has inflicted on the people across Scotland, and of all the important events which we have missed this year. With vaccination now being rolled out there really is some light at the end of the tunnel – but we are not there yet.
“Please keep that – and the safety of the most vulnerable in our society – in mind when you are deciding whether to go out or stay in this New Year.”
Dr Carter reminded people that, in addition to the current restrictions, the most effective way to keep us all safe from the virus was to follow the FACTS advice – wear a Face covering in enclosed spaces, Avoid crowded places, Clean hands and surfaces regularly, Two-metre distancing, and Self-isolate and seek a test immediately if you display symptoms.
The UK Government has this morning accepted the recommendation from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) to authorise Oxford University/AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine for use.
This follows rigorous clinical trials and a thorough analysis of the data by experts at the MHRA, which has concluded that the vaccine has met its strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) will also publish its latest advice for the priority groups to receive this vaccine.
The NHS has a clear vaccine delivery plan and decades of experience in delivering large scale vaccination programmes. It has already vaccinated hundreds of thousands of patients with the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and its roll out will continue. Now the NHS will begin putting their extensive preparations into action to roll out the Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccine.
Health Minister Matt Hancock hailed the news as ‘a real British succes story’.
"We can vaccinate everyone" Health Secretary Matt Hancock MP tells #BBCBreakfast the under 50s will be vaccinated in the future, as the government has enough doses on order of the two approved jabs to "vaccinate the whole population"https://t.co/In7ZIoBMaqpic.twitter.com/mr5jro63g8
Throughout this global pandemic the UK Government says they have always been guided by the latest scientific advice.
Having studied evidence on both the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford University/AstraZeneca vaccines, the JCVI has advised the priority should be to give as many people in at-risk groups their first dose, rather than providing the required two doses in as short a time as possible.
Everyone will still receive their second dose and this will be within 12 weeks of their first. The second dose completes the course and is important for longer term protection.
From today the NHS across the UK will prioritise giving the first dose of the vaccine to those in the most high-risk groups. With two vaccines now approved, we will be able to vaccinate a greater number of people who are at highest risk, protecting them from the disease and reducing mortality and hospitalisation.
The JCVI’s independent advice is that this approach will maximise the benefits of both vaccines. It will ensure that more at-risk people are able to get meaningful protection from a vaccine in the coming weeks and months, reducing deaths and starting to ease pressure on our NHS.
To aid the success of the vaccination programme, it is vital everyone continues to play their part, abides by the restrictions in their area and remembers hands, face, space so we can suppress this virus and allow the NHS to do its work without being overwhelmed.
News of the second vaccine is timely – yesterday’s coronavirus figures were particularly grim. 53,135 new cases were reported across the UK on Tuesday. 1895 of these were in Scotland – our worst daily figure since the country was first hit by the virus back in February.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will make a statement later today. She is expected to welcome the Oxford/AstraZeneca announcement but will appeal to Scots to strictly adhere to current coronavirus guidelines over the New Year period.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has welcomed news that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine for use in the UK.
This means we can now proceed with arrangements for doses of the vaccine, which is the second coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine to be approved for use after the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine, to be made available to our distribution centres throughout Scotland.
The vaccine has been procured on behalf of the four nations by the UK Government, who have ordered 100 million doses, of which Scotland will get 8.2% based on its population. We will begin to roll the vaccine out from 4th January, in the settings we have already been delivering in, moving out into more community settings from the 11th January.
For this vaccine as for Pfizer, the intention is to provide an important layer of protection to all adults but particularly those most at risk from serious illness and death from COVID-19. With age as the greatest risk factor, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) have retained the same phase 1 priority list.
The priority now is to vaccinate as many people with their first dose as quickly as possible, working through that priority list and the advice that the second dose for both vaccines can be given up to 12 weeks after the first means we can maximise this protection quicker than planned. The second dose remains critical for longer term protection and to complete the course.
Ms Freeman said: “At the end of a very difficult year this is a truly excellent piece of news. Oxford AstraZeneca has the major advantage of being much easier to store and transport, which means it is easier to administer in local settings. We are also expecting to receive it in significantly larger quantities than the Pfizer vaccine.
“With the four Chief Medical officers agreeing with the advice that we should prioritise delivering first vaccine doses to as many people on the JCVI Phase 1 priority list in the shortest possible timeframe, we are now able to maximise the impact of the vaccine programme in its primary aims of reducing mortality and hospitalisations for those at greatest risk.”
“When it is your turn to be vaccinated you will be contacted by your local health board and I urge you to please take up the offer.
“Vaccination is one of the most important tools we have as we work our way out of this pandemic. But as we vaccinate as many people as quickly as supplies allow, we have a new more transmissible strain of COVID-19.
“That makes it vital that we all continue our work to suppress the virus in Scotland, rigorously complying with the restrictions where we live and making sure we continue to wear face coverings, maintain 2m distance from others outside our own household and wash our hands regularly.
“These three strands – following all we need to do to suppress the virus, using our expanded testing programme to identify cases and break chains of transmission and rolling out vaccination as fast as supplies allow- are the three critical actions that will see us move, step by step, to a brighter spring and summer in 2021.”
Testing centres open as normal over the holiday period
.Anyone with COVID-19 symptoms should not put off getting tested because of the holiday period, says National Clinical Director Professor Jason Leitch.
Testing centres are open as normal today and every day through the New Year holiday and it is essential that people with symptoms do not delay getting a test.
Delaying testing will hamper efforts to tackle the new variant of the virus which can spread far more quickly and easily.
967 cases were reported in Scotland yesterday and the average number of daily cases has been rising steadily since before Christmas.
Prof. Leitch said: “Given the severity of the situation we face, it is of paramount importance that anyone with COVID symptoms does not delay getting a test.
“Testing is carrying on as normal at weekends and on public holidays and it’s that testing that protects others, by enabling contact tracing to take place and ensuring people know they should isolate to avoid spreading the virus.
“Getting tested also helps to give us the up-to-date data on how COVID-19 is spreading, which we need to tackle the virus.
“If people delay that testing then they are potentially putting other people at risk.
“So if you have a high temperature or fever, new continuous cough or a change in sense of smell or taste, you should self-isolate and please book a test immediately.”
To book a test go online to the NHS Inform website, or call 0800 028 2816 if you cannot book online. For further information visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) self-help guide | NHS inform
UK Health Minister Matt Hancock has released details of another mutation of the coronavirus. Two cases of the variant, which is linked to South Africa, have now been reported in the UK.
Scotland has introduced further controls on travellers to and from South Africa with immediate effect.
Mr Hancock told yesterday’s Downing Street press conference: “I want to tell you about developments on another new strain of this virus.
“Of course, the fight against this virus is a global effort. And we are constantly vigilant and looking around the world.
As part of our surveillance, and thanks to the impressive genomic capability of the South Africans, we have detected 2 cases of another new variant of coronavirus here in the UK.
“Both are contacts of cases who have travelled from South Africa over the past few weeks.
“The Chief Scientific Advisor and Chief Medical Officer and others met their South African counterparts over the last day.
“We are incredibly grateful to the South African Government for the rigour of their science, and the openness and the transparency with which they have rightly acted, as we did when we discovered the new variant here.
“This new variant is highly concerning, because it is yet more transmissible and it appeared to have mutated further than the new variant that has been discovered here.
“We have taken the following action.
“First, we are quarantining cases, and close contacts of cases, found here in the UK.
“Second, we are placing immediate restrictions on travel from South Africa.
“Finally, and most importantly, anyone in the UK who has been in South Africa in the past fortnight, and anyone who has been in close contact with anyone who has been in South Africa in the last fortnight, must quarantine immediately.
“By quarantine, I mean they must restrict all contact with any other person whatsoever.
“We will be changing the law to give this legal effect imminently.
“These measures are temporary, while we investigate this further new strain, which is currently being analysed at Porton Down.
“And I want to thank everyone involved for the seriousness with which I know they will take these instructions.”
Scottish Ministers have agreed on the basis of advice from senior clinical advisers to introduce further controls on travellers who have been in South Africa in the previous 10 days.
Regulations will require all UK nationals or residents returning to Scotland from South Africa to isolate for 10 days. This will apply to both the individual traveller and their household. Unlike travel into Scotland from other countries, there will be no exemptions to this quarantine policy.
All measures relating to South Africa will be reviewed in light of emerging evidence on the public health risks.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “These steps are a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of a variant strain of coronavirus which has been detected in South Africa, which we are still in the early stages of learning about, to Scotland.
“This decision has been taken on clinical advice to help further safeguard public health and keep communities safe.”
Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Gregor Smith said: “A mutated strain of the virus has been detected in South Africa with greater transmissibility between humans and it is appropriate that we err on the side of caution.
“We do not want to see transmission of this strain in this country and it is imperative that anybody who has recently travelled from South Africa, and their household, should self-isolate for 10 days and follow the guidance laid out by the Scottish Government. If needed, they should contact NHS 24.”
Work will also be undertaken to contact individuals who have recently arrived in the country from South Africa in the last 10 days who may have had a sectoral exemption to encourage them and their households of the need to isolate.
Targeted approach planned for high prevalence areas
Community testing in areas with high coronavirus (COVID-19) prevalence will begin in January, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman has announced.
In a statement to Parliament on Scotland’s testing and vaccination programmes, Ms Freeman confirmed that community testing resources will be targeted at communities with high transmission rates, following successful trials in early December.
Local authorities will be asked to submit proposals for the programme in early January, which will be delivered in partnership with NHS Boards and supported with additional funding and resources, including mobile testing units and asymptomatic test sites, to provide PCR and lateral flow testing respectively.
In order to better target community testing, waste water sampling undertaken by SEPA and Scottish Water to track COVID prevalence will be expanded from 60 to around 200 tests per week throughout Scotland by the end of January, supported by £1.1 million in additional funding.
Discussions with local authorities are also underway regarding two models of school testing to be trialled in January. The first model will involve in-school testing using lateral flow devices, while the second will involve at-home sampling for PCR testing.
Ms Freeman also confirmed that a total of 56,676 people have received their first dose in the first two weeks of the COVID-19 vaccination programme, which aims to vaccinate all those on the JCVI prioritisation list by the end of Spring 2021. Once this group is complete, vaccination will start for the wider population, subject to available supplies.
The use of larger centres in heavily populated areas such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, and Lanarkshire is being investigated to supplement local and mobile solutions for those in remote and rural areas.
NHS Boards have also been asked to continue recruitment and redeployment, with the aim of securing around 1400 vaccinators and 800 support staff by the end of January.
Ms Freeman said: “I want to acknowledge the sheer effort that has been put in to enable what has been delivered already through our testing and vaccination programmes, and what we will deliver, as I have set out in Parliament today.
“Each of these programmes presents a major logistical challenges in and of themselves. Many people from different organisations and communities have come together to make them possible and I want to put on record my sincere thanks to everyone involved.
“These are incredibly tough times for everyone, at the end of what has already been an incredibly tough year, but this continued expansion of our testing and vaccination programmes will help us meet the challenge we face to drive down COVID rates in Scotland to the lowest possible level.
“Both are vital tools in our work to suppress the virus to the lowest possible level in Scotland, but they are only as important as the other measures we have including the Levels approach, enhanced support for our NHS and care sectors and critically, individuals doing the right thing by following FACTS – all of which are crucial to prevent the spread of this harmful virus through our communities.”
F – Face coverings A – Avoid crowded places C – Clean your hands regularly T – Two metres distance S – Self isolate and book a test if you have symptoms
A new app for health and care home staff carrying out coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations will provide rapid access to relevant patient information and collect data on how many people have received the vaccination.
The ‘Vaccination Management Tool’ was developed in response to the pandemic and, because it functions on PCs, tablets and iphones, can be used in any setting where the vaccine is being administered.
The tool means vaccinators can immediately see whether it is an individual’s first or second dose and which vaccine has been administered – which will be crucial as more become available.
It also means data can be sent to GP systems and, in time the information collected on the app will help demonstrate how effective each vaccine is by linking with testing data.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “The development of this tool has been a significant collaborative effort involving both clinicians and technical staff and I would like to thank all those involved.
“Clearly we welcome anything which simplifies the process for vaccinators and having this app which can be used wherever they are working will be invaluable, allowing them to quickly access all relevant information on site.”
NHS Education for Scotland Chief Executive Stewart Irvine said: “Delivering a national vaccine programme is a huge undertaking.
“We are trying to make things as easy to use as possible for the staff who have to manage these large numbers of people. That’s in terms of planning their workflows, being able to work flexibly in all kinds of locations, and in providing a steady stream of data to help national planners.
“With tools like these, we are building integrated systems which remove additional burdens from hard-pressed health and care staff – allowing them to do what they do best.”
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde trialled the app for the winter flu programme. Immunisation Programme Manager Scott Hanley said: “We’re pleased to have helped test and feed-back on the app. Having all the individual’s information in one place and not having to use paper saved so much time for our staff.
“The fact that it is web-based also gives much more flexibility in who can use it – which gives us greater flexibility. And using a mobile tablet will help ensure patients are processed quicker on arrival at sites and will reduce the possibility of queues building up.”
The Vaccine Management Tool was developed by NHS Education for Scotland in partnership with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Fife, NHS National Services Scotland and Public Health Scotland.
It was piloted in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian to assist with the winter flu vaccination programme and is now being used across Scotland to assist with the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
If you’re feeling a little low this winter, catching up with a pal outdoors can help to lift your spirits.
